Shoe-last.



A. c. HAYDEN.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

1 Z 4 a my J ARTHUR c. HAYDEN, oE MonTELLo, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Application filed May 10, 1909. Serial No. 494,990.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montello, in the'county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulShoe-Last, of which the followingis a specification.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved construction of shoe last and more specifically speaking to provide a shoe last whichwill wear much longer than will the ordinary last now in use and will not become battered out of shape after being used for a comparatively short time as is the case in the ordinary construct-ion of last where the same is made of wood.

More specifically, the invention resides in the peculiar construction of the heel portion of the last, the object being to so construct the said heel portion that when the last is in use, the force of impact of the blows struck the shoe upon the last will not be transmitted directly to the material of the last but to strengthening and supporting means embedded in the material of the heel of the last. Furthermore, in the presentform of last, when the heel iron is secured thereto, an opening is left of a depth equal to the thickness of the iron, and as a consequence, when the heel of the shoe being formed upon the last is struck quite a few blows, the inner sole of the shoe, at the heel, will sink into this opening and as a result a projection will be formed at the middle of the heel which projection renders the heel of the shoe uncomfortable to the wearer unless driven down by separate operation. In order to overcome this disadvantage of the present forms of last, it is contemplated, in carrying out the present invention, that a last be provided having the working surface of its heel portion unbroken or smooth throughout whereby a projection such as just described will not be formed upon the inner sole of the shoe at the heel thereof. And, further, the invention aims, in this regard, to not only present a smoothworking surface at the heel of the last but still to permit of tacking of the inner sole to the last at the beginning of the lasting operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a last constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view therethrough on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the thimble embedded in the heel of the last.

In the drawings there is shown a last which, as far as its general shape is concerned, is of the same appearance as the ordinary wooden last now in use, the said last being indicated by the numeral 5. As heretofore stated, it is the object of the invention to relieve the material of the body of the last at the heel portion thereof of strain incident to the repeated blows struck the last during the lasting operation, and such means, as heretofore stated, is embedded in the said heel portion of the last and will now be specifically described.

The last 5 is formed through its heel portion, indicated by the numeral 6, with a bore 7 which opens through the top and bottom sides thereof and substantially axially of the said heel portion and driven into'this bore is a thread-like thimble 8 which at its lower end (that end which is presented at the working surface of the heel portion of the last) is formed with a plurality of radially extending strengthening and bracing wings 9 which, when the thimble is driven intothe bore 7, sinks into the material of the body portion of the heel of the last and not only prevent rotative movement of the thimble in the bore 7 but also serve effectually to prevent sinking of the thimble into the heel beyond the point at which its lower end is flush with the working surface of the body portion of the heel 6. After this thimble has been driven into place and has assumed the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the usual heel plate 10 is secured upon the working surface of the heel 6 and this plate 10 is formed with an opening 11 which is of a diameter equal to the interior diameter of the thimble 8 and the said heel plate is so positioned, when being secured upon the heel of the last that its opening 11 will exactly register with the lower end of the said thimble 8, this construction being clearly shown in the said Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In order, further, to hold the thimble 8 in place in the bore 7 in the heel of the last, a securing pin 12 is driven into the heel of the last through the rear end thereof and through diametrically opposed openings 13 in the thimble 8, it being understood of course that the pin extends diametrically through the thimble and is of less diameter than the interior diameter of the thimble. In the structure so far described, excessive strain placed upon the thimble 8 tending to force it through the heel in the direction of either end, would act to distort the pin 12 and in order that this pin may be so braced as to avoid this occurrence, other pins 14-] are driven through the heel from side to side and have their ends riveted or headed as at 15 and seated in suitable counter-sinks 16' formed in the side faces of the heel and these pins 14 arelocated one to each side of the thimble 8 and extend di rectly beneath the pin 12 adjacent each end thereof and in contact therewith; To further support and brace the pin-12, other pins 17 are driven through: the upper side of the heel 6 of the last and bear at their lower ends against the pin 12 at points diametrically opposite the points of engagement of the pins 14: with the said pin 12.

After the last has been constructed and strengthened in the manner heretofore described, a plug 18 preferably of wood is driven into the thimble 8 through the lower end thereof (which end is the'upper end when the last is in position for use) until its inner end comes into engagement with the transverse securing pin 12 at which time further movement of the plug into the thimble will be prevented. At thistime, provided the plug is of the proper length, its outer or lower end will extend slightly be yond the working face of the heel plate 10 of the last, and said end is then cut off and ground down with sand paper until exactly flush with the said working plate. The last is then ready-for use.

In use, the last is inverted as regards its position shown in Fig. l of the drawings and the tang at the upper end-of a laststandard is inserted into the thimble 8 through what is the upper end in the said Fig. 1 of the drawings and the said tang comes in engagement, at its ends, with' the transverse securing pin 12. The inner sole is then placed upon the working face of the heel plate 10 and one or more tacks are driven through the inner sole and into the plug 18 whereby to hold the inner sole in face of the heel place upon the said heel plate of the last during the lasting operation.

It will be understood from the foregoing description of the invention that the entire force of impact due to the repeated blows struck the heel of the shoe being formed upon the last will be borne by the transverse pin 12 and thimble 8 and heel plate 10 and that the material of the last will not be liable to be hammered out of proper shape. It will further be understood that inasmuch as the transverse securing pin 12 is of a diameter less than the interior diameter of the thimble 8, an awl or any other small slender implement may be inserted into the thimble 8 through what is the upper end in Fig. 1 of the drawings and engaged at its ends against the inner end of the plug 18 to either side of the said transverse locking pin 12 and the plug be in this manner forced from the thimble and a new plug inserted, when the plug has become so perforated from the driving of tacks into its outer end as to be useless.

IV hat is claimed i's 1. In a shoe last, a thimble seated in the heel of thelast and opening through the top and bottom sides thereof, pins passed transversely through the last upon opposite sides of said thimble, and a pin passed through the thimble and having a bearing against the first mentioned pins.

2. In a shoe last, a thimble seated in the heel of the last and opening through the top and bottom-sides thereof, pins passed transversely through the last, a securing pin passed through the thimble and supporting the first mentioned pin, and pins driven inward into the last through the top sides thereof and bearing at their inner ends against the securing pin.

In testimony tha't'I claim'the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR C. HAYDEN.

Witnesses E. HUME TALBERT, F. T. CHAPMAN. 

